Improvement in stamp-canceling devices



Gr. L-. NEVILLE 81; L. C. GODWIN.

Stamp-Canceling Device.

No. 205,292. Patented June 25,1878.

T WITNESSES aiiw fia n V v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. NEVILLE AND LEROY O. GODWI N, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STAMP-CANCELING DEVICES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,292, dated June 25, 1878; application filed November 1, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE L. NEVILLE and LEROY O. GODWIN, of Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Device for Ganceling Stamps, of which the following is a specification Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents the face of a canceled stamp. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line as a: in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the metallic cap applied to the back of the stamp. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the instrument employed in connection with the cap in destroying or canceling the stamp.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Our invention consists in a cap having thin sharp edges and two points, which are inserted in the stamp from the back and bent down over its face, to hold the edges of the cap against the back of the stamp.

In the drawings, A is the stamp, and B a cap, having a head, a, a vertical rim, Z2, and two points, 0, placed diametrically opposite, and projecting in the same direction from the head as the rim b. These points, by means of suitable machinery, are inserted in the stamp from the back or gummed side, and are bent down over the face of the stamp, so as to hold the rim b in contact with the back of the stamp.

When the stamp is attached to an envelope or other surface in the usual way, the head a rests against the surface, while the rim 11 holds the portion of the stamp immediately surrounding it from coming into contact with the surface,

The canceling-instrument represented in Fig. 4 consists of a handle, O,having attached to one of its ends a short elastic rubber cylinder, D.

The canceling of the stamp is effected by striking it, while the surface to which it is attached lies upon a solid object, with the elastic portion D of the canceling instrument. This operation forces the stamp down upon the cap, and cuts an aperture corresponding in form and size to the cap.

The cap and detached portion of the stamp fall from the envelope to which they were attached as soon as the envelope is moved out of a horizontal position, if they are not removed by the canceling-instrumen t.

The large surface of the head It prevents I the cap from injuring the envelope, or other surface upon which the stamp is used, while the sharp edges of the rim b insure the removal of a portion of the stamp when it is struck with the elastic rubber instrument.

The caps are made from any suitable sheet metal by the well-known process of stamping.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of the cap B, having the head a, rim 1), and points 0, with the stamp A, substantially as herein shown and described.

GEORGE L. NEVILLE. LEROY U. GODWIN.

Witnesses for Neville: .0. SEDGWIOK,

GEO. M. HOPKINS.

Witnesses for Godwin: AND. L. BILIsoLY, W. T. KELLY. 

